Drug Companies Get Sued Over the Opioid Epidemic

Five Illinois companies are suing drug companies in relation to the opioids epidemic.

Five suburban counties in Illinois filed lawsuits against several drug companies amidst the ongoing opioids epidemic. The prosecutors mentioned that the aggressive marketing methods of opioids were an important factor in this drugs epidemic. The suing counties are Kane, McHenry, Lake, DuPage, and Will.

Drug Companies Brought to the Public’s Attention

County officials from all of the five involved stated that they are suing the drug companies for all the damage they have done. They are also trying to stop the opioid epidemic in their respective regions. These drug companies are being blamed for tearing families apart, for crimes, and for unemployment.

This lawsuit filing did not specify the damages sought. Nonetheless, one important thing noted in the lawsuits is that drug companies and some physicians recognized that they would continue profiting of people who are in pain if they could sell opioids as a long-term treatment.

The original role of these drugs was for short-term relief. It was also mentioned that some of those accused convinced patients and doctors that opioids are an effective long-term therapy.

Instead of using existing data about opioids which shows that they can cause addiction which could then lead to overdoses, drug companies kept this information to themselves and marketed the drugs as safe. Prosecutors also mentioned that doctors were also the victims in such cases.

Johnson & Johnson, Purdue Pharma, Teva Pharmaceuticals, and Abbott Laboratories are among the companies being sued. Company representatives state that these allegations are unfounded.

They also declared that the names in question did not use this strategy to market their opioid drugs. Some of the representatives admitted to having recognized the damage brought on by opioids. As a result, they reportedly tried to stop the opioid abuse by marketing non-opioid treatments.